‘Stay Tuned’ For Potential Chevrolet Silverado ZR2

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The notion of a Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 to rival the Ford F-150 Raptor has never been far from thought. Chevrolet can champion the readily available Colorado ZR2 as often and as loud as it wants, as it rightfully should… but that truck in a “segment of one,” as Chevy describes it, cannot rival the Raptor for various reasons.

One of them is that the Ford absolutely out-muscles the Colorado ZR2 engine offerings thanks to a punchy 3.5L twin-turbo V6 engine making 450 hp and 510 lb-ft of torque. The most horsepower one can find in a 2018 Colorado ZR2 is 308 hp, and peak torque is 369 lb-ft, but not with the same engine. Another reason is that, thanks to its higher MSRP, the Ford F-150 Raptor can garnish its cabin with sporty themes and exceptional content that’s become the norm in the full-size truck segment. Thirdly: just as some people want a smaller truck like the Colorado ZR2 to fit their lifestyle, plenty still want a bigger truck.

With the reveal of the all-new 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 in Detroit this week, a new sense of hope emerged for a performance variant of the Silverado through its lifecycle. As to what, if any, direction a sporty Silverado will take, is still a mystery. It could be street-oriented, like the Silverado SS from the GMT800 days, or off-road oriented like a theoretical Silverado ZR2. However, if customer research was any indicator, the off-road enthusiasts might get what they want.

While it’s not an outright confirmation, that’s the best answer we have at the moment. There’s no doubt that GM is constantly assessing and observing the business case for a Ford Raptor nemesis in the form of a hypothetical Silverado ZR2, which would slot above the Colorado ZR2 in terms of proportions, power, price, features and capability. But for now, it’s clear that Chevrolet intends to focus on the eight 2019 Silverado models that will launch later this year, including the more rugged Silverado Trailboss, which features a two-inch lift from the factory. After that, we fully intend to stay tuned.

So we agree the Colorado Z is in a different class. But I am not the one who keeps posting storied that continue to compare the two.

So if we are in agreement the Colorado is not targeting the Raptor you may want to pass that to your staff as they continue to put them in the same story. It is mentioned 4 times in this short story alone. Why is it even brought into this story? We don’t talk GTI in Corvette stories?

A Raptor Challanger would be cool and would provide added income. Odds are we will see one in about a year from now.

A full size Z would be frosting on the cake. Right now they are focused on getting the cake out of the oven. We should see more Mules soon. At least this time we will know they were not trailbosses.

There’s some context here. Whenever we ask about an off-road rival to the Raptor, the Chevy people immediately go to the ZR2. It’s not really us comparing it, as much as it is Chevy deflecting. We’re just supporting the logic for reasons why the ZR2 and Raptor don’t compare apples to apples. It’s obvious, just as how you write that they’re “getting the cake out of the oven.” That’s obvious, but you still see a need to type words about it.

First: the Raptor and Colorado ZR2 are in different classes. That is obvious and almost goes without saying.

Second: the Colorado ZR2 is mentioned in the story for a reason. That reason is that Chevy has nothing with which to fight the Raptor… for the time being, at least. Read carefully, the story actually says that the Colorado is no match to the Raptor… and hence there is space for something above.

Third: if you speak to some Chevy officials about the Raptor, they will bring up the Colorado ZR2 as if it is an alternative.

That is why it is mentioned. That is why it is part of the conversation. Hopefully that clears it up for you.

A brief anecdotal follow-up: I was just visiting a friend at a Chevy dealership when I overheard a salesman doing his best to keep a customer from going across the street to the Ford store for the Raptor, convincing him to go for the Colorado ZR2 instead. Ironically, that dealer had no ZR2s in stock. But even with that being the case, he almost got the guy to put money down on an ordered ZR2 (though his knocks against the Raptor weren’t exactly founded, but that’s a different topic).

The point is that the Colorado ZR2 naturally comes up in the conversation whenever the topic of “off-road pickup truck” is presented. Sure, the size class between the ZR2 and Raptor is off, the features/content ain’t the same, and the price gap is notable. But that doesn’t stop the conversation from taking place, does it? No, no it does not.

I just hope the RST and LT Trailboss can be fitted with a 6.2. seems like the trailboss is for low and mid level trucks and the LTZ version (zr2?) Would go after the Raptor. Why else would they only offer the popular off road option on low and mid level trucks? There will be a LTZ 2019 or 2020 Raptor competitor, or at least something closer than the Trailboss. LT Trailboss 6.2 is perfect for me though.

I’ll be in Detroit tomorrow. Can’t wait to see the new Silverado in person.

If I had to choose which one I would want, it would be the SS. But that’s only because I don’t have off-road opportunities.
What I would love to see Chevy do is offer both. Just take it to the next level and take both pieces of the pie!

The ZR2 like the Power Wagon (more so) is in the same class of “4-wheeling” as a Jeep Wrangler, navigating through rocks and ridges with low speed articulation. The “RAPTOR” impressive name, gives me chills, is for the want-a-be ricky racer who wants to go “offroading” and squirt across the desert.

Why then do we not see the ZR2 and the Power Wagon being mentioned or compared in the same articles. Even when they are as well, two different class of trucks?

Question is if/when GM releases a ZR2 Silverado will it be ZR2’ish? The 4-wheeler meant to get you as far as you are willing to go, or the offroader that’s meant to go as fast as you are willing to go? If it’s the latter I think it should be called something else or the whole ZR2 thing could get a bit confusing to potential buyers as to what it’s meant for.

I would think the reason you don’t see the ZR2 and Power Wagon compared is the Power Wagon is a SFA truck. The Power Wagon doesn’t even get compared to the Raptor but the Super Duty because of this. The off road Chevy guys have been at a loss here since 1988. Those are the real off road trucks IMO. But I guess it depends on what a guys idea of off roading is. I see the Raptor as a high speed desert runner with it’s long travel IFS set up. The Raptor really brought a whole new game to the table that’s gone unchallenged for the most part.

I find it funny that the Ford guys use to say that GM didn’t have a real off road truck because they use IFS and that solid axle is the only way to go. But now days the 4×4 to buy that is praised by everyone is YEP you guessed it IFS!

There’s a few different types of IFS set ups but overall I agree. The biggest problem has been for Chevy guys trying to compete against the Super Duty in the past. And honestly that’s a losing battle. GM just set up their stuff for on road use really using a drop down frame with torsion bar tie ins. To further complicate that set up using torsion bar drop down brackets and throwing the original half shaft angles all off just doesn’t do things properly. But Chevy guys had no other choice since GM ditched the tucked up high rail frame and SFA.

Now Ford has taken IFS and essentially made it cool for off roaders because it’s functional for that by design. I wish it was Chevrolet that made it mainstream it but it wasn’t. That doesn’t mean Chevrolet can’t completely upstage Ford though. And with the Navistar partnership perhaps they could do a SFA 2500 truck to take on the Power Wagon and Super Duty? Revive an old name for it. Chevy use to use the name Task Force. I’d love to see that come back.. If they really wanted to kill it they could go the military route and do a Portal IFS. That would trump all.

There’s nothing wrong with IFS in fact all of the major off road trucks use them like the stadium truck, desert score, baha 1000, Parker 400 and so On!

For a production truck IFS is the way to go great ride on the payment, great versatility off road, plenty of ground clearance with the proper lift installed, and strong enough as long as your not being stupid out on the trails!

I’m still looking for a 2WD street sport truck version like the old 454SS or the Dakota R/T in a Club Cab. I just don’t like 4 door Crew Cabs – they are NOT very ‘sporty” to me.

All Oppenheimer has to do is open up the parts vault from the ZL1 Camaro and cut loose some of the suspension and brake parts since Chevy already has the engine ….. how about the LS9 from the old CTS-V?

I think Chevy knows exactly what they are doing . If they had come out with a Silverado ZR2 right out of the gait for sure the total attention would have been on the rivalry to the Raptor and not on the other models that have been
” fully baked ” and ready for consumption .
And if they got it wrong all holly #ell would be on every magazine cover and opinion writers articles and blogs .
Right now they will have a Raptor in their design studio tearing it apart and going to their vast parts bin and parts suppliers to come out with a ZR2 that is atleast as good if not better and then let the comparisons begin .
Hopefully for the time being there are more salesman that are good enough to get a customer into a Colorado ZR2 and away from the cross town rival .

Ford has done well with the Raptor and basically has a 10 year head start, so if GM decides to do a ZR2 Silverado, they should do it right, even if they insist on charging $65-70K. It would need to be a complete package, not just a full on suspension, but with standard engine(s) and interior.

This cracks me up so I fixed it, just a bunch of “truck guys” lying out their tooth. Like any of them would ever legitimately use a quarter of the off road chops a truck comes with. All they want it for is the image, that’s it. So they can look like the biggest, baddest dad at the local Starbucks around the corner from their kids game while spouting locker this, off road shocks that and horsepower stats from the brochure. Sad to see…